Acknowledge His Greatness

Have you praised the Lord today and acknowledged His greatness? He blesses us beyond our comprehension, and for that, He deserves our praise.

I’ve prayed for months for a miracle of reconciliation between two members of my family. The repair of their relationship didn’t look promising in the natural, but when God intervenes, all things are possible. The first step to harmony between two people I love took place this past week. I serve an awesome God!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every
spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3, NIV

Perhaps you can recall a time when God answered your prayer for a special need—a new job, a financial miracle, or the mending of a broken relationship. He’s still in the miracle working business.

Ephesians Chapter 1 tells us God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Why? Because we are followers of Christ. He chose us to be holy and without blame as we walk in His love. We belong to Him, and He has given us grace and accepted us as His children. His love and kindness for us are so great, that He bought our freedom with the blood of Christ and forgave our sins.

He’s united us with Him, and He’s working everything according to His plan. We are His own, and we know this by the gift of His Holy Spirit, who is God’s promise to us that we have eternal life. The Holy Spirit in us brings spiritual blessings through God’s gift of grace. His purpose for us is to bring Him praise and glory.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14, NIV

We are to praise and worship Him, not only for what He has done for us, but for who He is and for His excellence. One way to bring Him glory is to acknowledge His greatness as we surrender ourselves in obedience. He is holy, faithful, merciful, and offers us His love and grace. He gives to all who seek Him. Even in the bleakest of circumstances, He knows, and He cares. Tell Him what you need. The answer to your prayers may take months as mine did, but He’s listening and working.

Thank you, Father, for Your spiritual blessings. I’m grateful You hear my cries for help as I pray for matters that concern myself and others. Your love knows no boundaries. I praise You and acknowledge Your greatness, power, and authority as I surrender myself in obedience to Your Word. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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Photo by Guillaume de Germain - Unsplash

Insults Bring Blessings

If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:14 NLT

Have you been insulted because you follow Christ? I’d only been a believer for two weeks when criticism met me for the first time. Someone invited me to a bridal shower for a friend. With my gift in hand, I walked to her front door on a warm July day. The door stood open, and I heard my friend’s voice. “She must be bad if she needs to go to church two or three times a week.” Out of my old friend group, I knew their discussion focused on me. Hard to walk up those remaining steps and through the front door.

She didn’t understand. As a child of God, I was no longer bad. The blood of Christ covered me, and I had become a new creation. Clean in the eyes of my Lord.

As a baby Christian, I didn’t have a comeback. No idea of what to say. Every eye stared at me when I entered the house. I felt uneasy. I made them uncomfortable too. Not surprising when I read the above verse. They were uncomfortable because the glorious Spirit of God rested upon me as a new child of God.

Afterward, I realized I needed a new friend group. Friends who supported me in my walk with Christ. Had I stayed with the old group, they may have tried to pull me back into my old ways. Why go backwards? I’d found a new beginning. A better way to live. 

My church provided me with a warm and welcoming group of young people and adults who loved me, taught me, and wanted the best for me in my new life. Their support and encouragement gave me the stability and strength I needed and a rich foundation in Christ. That same group is where I met my husband, Kenn.

God has blessed me in so many ways throughout the years. His glorious Spirt resting upon me is one of those blessings.

God's Wonderful Gifts

“You gave me these just to hurt me,” cried my five-year-old daughter from the back seat of the car.

She loved me to bring her little gifts when I picked her up after school. A friend at work would often bring me her children’s outgrown clothing or toys, and my daughter came to expect these gifts. On this afternoon, before I left work, I looked for something I could take her—something special from her mama. The only thing I could find was a small bag of potato chips from the vending machine. Although this was not the healthiest of snacks, I knew she would like them. I didn’t realize her lips were chapped, and the salt would make them burn. I hoped to please her with a little gift, but she accused me of intentionally hurting her.

How often are we like this with God? He gives us gifts each and every day, but we often complain. We may think He’s punishing us for some reason. He may give us sunshine when we want rain for our garden. Or He may bring rain when we want to spend time outdoors to enjoy a picnic with our family or friends.

We may become upset with Him for not answering our prayers the way we think He should. But He may be at work designing a gift for us that might result in a bigger blessing than we ever imagined. The Lord knows what lies ahead; we need to trust He has our best interests at heart.

Some of God’s little blessings are often overlooked. Have you considered these? A bird singing outside your window. A visit with a friend you haven’t seen for a long time. Maybe the gift of a family member who stops what he is doing to help you carry in the groceries when you bring them home. A hug from a child. Or hearing the words, “I love you.”

Little gifts and blessings can impact us in big ways. They’re even better when we share them with others.

Just as I wanted to do something special for my daughter that day, God desires to bless us. We need to be mindful of the little gifts He gives us every day and be thankful for them.

“Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words” (2 Corinthians 9:15).